Evocation
by Alis Volat Propris
Summary: With insult to injury, he was supposed to end her. The universe had other plans.


AN: So this happened. How do I keep doing this to myself? I keep falling for alternate pairings and end up needing to write for them. My first Kisa Saku.

AN: "Wildfire" by Seafret, "I Found" by Amber run,

It started with a chance run in that neither had expected. Kisame had been escaping Mizu hunter nin and had accidentally stumbled upon the pinkette. She had stood up in shock from the Konoha man she had been healing. He was unconcious. She ordered the rest of her team to take him, and scatter. Knowing the hand signals from Itachi, she ordered them to retreat and find backup. She would handle this herself. Boldly, she had stood, fists raised.

Brave. Foolish, but brave, Kisame had thought, as he burst through the tree tops his sword hungry for the chakra he could feel forming from the little kunoichi. That was before she smashed the ground beneath him, the entire forest, sinking in the crater she'd created as the world shifted. Holy shi-

Kisame fell into the crater, dust and debris flying, blocking his vision. As a ninja of the mist this did not startle him. He slashed with the Samehada, but caught nothing but air, whittling around him. Chakra flared. He turned left, black eyes blazing as he sensed her, even with her chakra conceiled. He slashed again and she barely dodged his sword, knicking her shoulder.

She winced, and he drew blood, Samehada had its fill of some of the chakra she had. She flickered with speed as she danced around the sword and through his guard. Black eyes widened incredulously. It had been years, since someone had the speed to get through his defenses. She was close enough that he could see those emerald green eyes flash, smell the shampoo, she used on her obnoxious cotton candy colored hair. His nostrils flared at the scent. This was no time to be admiring his enemy. He kicked out, but she was already through his guard.

He felt the sharp sting of her chakra lined punch explode upon him, direct and surprisingly perfect uppercut to his jaw, instantaneously breaking it. What might have K. or killed other ninja merely startled him. How the hell did something so tiny hit so damn hard? She followed through with a roundhouse kick to his collarbone that he tried to block and failed in hi stupor. His collarbone snapped and she sent him crashing through the brush and through several trees. Splinters, and dust scattered across miscellanious body parts, and lingered in the air. Kisame had seen stars but he attributed that to the pain from both jaw and collarbone. He leapt to his feet, grimacing in pain, his grip on Samehada hard. Black eyes narrowed as he watched her retreating figure in the distance. She ran like hell away as if her life depended on it.

It did.

Pink cotton candy hair. Short. Green eyes. Leaf nin.

He would remember her.

…...

Sakura kept her henge in place as she sat at the seedy bar. Her target had a thing for green eyes, and a little henge with strawberry blonde hair, and some flirting could lead to a nice bounty if she played her cards right. Her mission was to bring him in, anyway that was possible. Sakura had studied her target for a week. She felt she could play up to the attributes he needed. Taking a sip of her drink, she summoned her courage about to rise from her barstool.

And felt it immediately disapear when his blue hand clamped tight on her wrist, those sharp teeth grinning wide.

One Hoshigaki Kisame of the Akatsuki had her wrist clamped between his hand, and was looking at her like she was the best target he'd ever seen. His grin was all predatory, as he towered over her, taking a seat at the barstool next to her. He forcibly turned her wrist to move her body towards him dragging her, stool and all.

Sakura felt the adrenal fear strike like lightning. Hoshigaki Kisame, Akatsuki member, partnered with Uchiha Itachi, who she had managed to escape from before just barely, by the skin of her teeth. The scar on her shoulder refused to disappear n o matter what healing she placed on it, perhaps a side effect of Samehada. He could kill her. Easily. Snap her into bits and pieces. How on earth had she not felt his chakra?

"I see the game you're playing little leaf. There's only one problem." Kisame forcibly pulled her barstool even closer to his, the grip on her wrist tightening painfully.

Sakura clenched her jaw. If she drew attention here, she'd blow her cover. As it was Kisame was pulling her close, making it look like he was propositioning her, by whispering into her ear. Why was he bothering to keep pretenses with her cover? _Maybe it was early to assume that,_ she thought with a wince. She could cause a scene, but that would definitely blow her cover. And this particular town was not friendly to Konoha nin. She axed that idea.

"and what's that?" She asked between clenched teeth, refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing he was bruising her wrist. This only made him grin all the wider, as she felt her stomach drop out again. What was he going to do?

"You're not his type." Kisame murmured into her ear, grinning.

Sakura stiffened.

Kisame didn't seem to want her dead, atleast not immediately. Sakura's mind spun, trying to angle for something, anything to get out of the situation at hand. If she started a fight in here, even if she won, the other ninja in this bar would happily kill her for the bingo book money.

"And how would you know that information, fish face?" She boded, settling for sass. She needed to distract him and it seemed like he wanted a chat before fighting.

"Original, Kunoichi. You come up with that one all on your own? One of our members used to date the guy." Kisame replied with a grin. "Bartender!" He snapped, slamming his fist on the counter and making Sakura jump.

The bartender was on them in an instant having recognized the Akatsuki cloak and paled.

"M-my apologies, I did not realize the lady was your guest, Hoshigaki sama." the bartender stammered.

"A drink for me, and my-" Kisame gestured to the pinkette. Sakura did not answer, pink eyebrows furrowed.

"You didn't come here for a drink with _me_ certainly?" Sakura chided, trying to snatch her wrist back. His grip tightened painfully and she gasped in pain, pursing her lips to quench the moan from spilling forth. She was in trouble. That was for _damn_ certain. Kisame could easily kill her. But hadn't yet. What was the shark man angling for?

"You left quite a mark on me, Princess." Kisame moved her hand to his collarbone and her eyes widened.

"W-what do you want with me?" Sakura asked, feeling the terror hit her. She had no escape when he held her wrist in his crushing embrace. Sakura needed to think smarter, not harder. Wheels in her mind began turning. Eureka! She knew what she would do. She just needed him to keep talking.

"Surely you didn't think you could just punch, kick, and flee, and that would be all of it." Kisame's grin was all teeth, those eyes staring her down. He looked her up and down admiringly. Sakura felt her lip curl in distaste.

"You did happen to drop in on a rescue mission. I had no other choice." She replied, jade eyes hard.

"You choose well." Kisame complemented, as the bartender placed their drinks and scuttled as far away as he could manage. "I was shocked so much power could come from something so puny"

"Thanks?" Sakura replied confusion apparent on her soft features. "I doubt you came this far to compliment me."

"On the contrary, Kunoichi, I have yet to thank you for bestowing this _token_ upon me." He replied, pressure on her wrist increasing. Sakura couldn't keep the cry from her lips, and she tumbled forward, loosing her balance, as she knocked against the drinks and the bar, bracing herself against him with her other hand to avoid falling on him entirely.

She met his those coal black eyes that gleamed. His were nothing like Sasukes. Jade eyes widened in fear.

Kisame's leering grin was not meant to be comforting. He hadn't expected to enjoy talking with the little chit. He had come in planning to kill her. But now? He was mildly amused by her mannerisms. How long had it been since someone had the audacity to talk to him this way? _Too long._ He released her wrist, to which she craddled, healing chakra going to work, as she rubbed it absently.

"You haven't touched your drink." He prompted with a reach towards his glass.

"Neither have you." She retorted darkly still clutching her wrist.

"I guess we need to have something to drink to." Kisame told her, resting his elbow against the bar, his head resting on his hand.

"To surprising reunions" Sakura clinked her glass against his, green eyes locking onto his own as she downed the entire glass. Kisame's grin was feral as he downed his glass.

"To insufficient deaths." Kisame returned. "I guess we should take this outside then?" Kisame retorted, slamming the glass down hard enough to break it, as his grip on her shoulder grew tight and uncomfortable.

"I guess I don't have a choice." Sakura grit her teeth wondering if she could reach her senbon before he could decapitate her. His crushing grip on her shoulder made her yelp, and she stopped her reach for the senbon.

Kisame snickered as he walked her out into the alley. "For what it's worth Kunoichi, it's been fun, more fun than I've had in ages." Kisame shrugged, unbandaging his sword. Sakura trembled back into the alley, green eyes wide as she fell back against the end of the brick wall.

That's when Kisame stumbled forward. He couldn't seem to keep his eyes focused, or his feet together. He was loosing consciousness. His grip on Samehada tightened. The glass. The damned alcohol. She had locked eyes with him as he drank the glass.

Emerald green eyes gleamed in exultant victory as Kisame snarled at her, reaching for her and failing, as he dropped to the ground. He had fallen for a chuunin trick.

"You didn't notice me slipping my target's sleeping agent in your drink. For what it's worth, I'm grateful you didn't kill me immediately. Try to have a good night, Hoshigaki san." Sakura told him, bowing in respect.

…...

"It's very rare that someone bests me once. Even rarer that someone bests me twice." Kisame's words startled her out of her agitated fitful sleep. She had been on a reconnaisance mission gone south and was trying to make her way back to Konoha. With injuries and 2 hours of sleep she had been forced to stop curling herself inbetween two rocks in the forest. Her luck had just run out. He had found her. Sakura scrambled away from him, sleep immediately banished, but he had his hands around her neck. He slammed her against the tree trunk harshly as she hung, her air supply cut off. She struggled against him, but felt the sword against her, and with a disgusting slurping sound, felt her chakra drained.

Green eyes stared deep into his own, and Kisame had the unfortune to realize she really was beautiful, stupid pink hair and all, and even noticed the small freckles dusting her cheeks, as she turned bright red. Pity. And a shame really. He couldn't let her live to tell the tale. It simply would not-

An explosion behind them had him turning towards the sound, and in that moment she was able to twist free from his lock around her throat and took off running like a bat from hell. What the actual fuck was it about this fiesty leaf nin that kept him from killing her each time? The universe must have been looking out for her.

 _Third time's the charm_ a voice rang out in the back of his head. Not from the looks of it.

Mizu nin from the looks of it. Kisame snarled, and ran after her, consequences be damned, but the Mizu nin caught up to him before long. He was forced to turn and fight them, as he watched her escaped into the trees. She turned back to look at him.

Green eyes were...concerned. What the _fuck_?

Kisame watched as she launched the kunai, and he dodged it easily, black eyes narrowed. It hit straight at the Mizu ninja, slicing into his throat as he fell over, dead. Kisame's eyes widened and she disapeared from sight as the other Mizu ninja closed in on him.

12 to one.

He liked these odds.

…...

Sakura had been sent on a diplomatic mission to Mizu, her task to heal the children that had contracted a strange disease. It didn't surprise her anymore. She felt his presence as she bent over the unconcious child.

"If you're going to kill me, atleast let me heal this boy first." Sakura's words rang out. Kisame stepped into the tent.

"Not even a friendly hello?" He replied entering the tent. "You dont even seem surprised."

"Hello." She said, nervously tucking her hair behind her ear. This caused a smile to tug at the corners of his mouth.

She smelled...different. Kisame must have been loosing his goddamn mind.

"Why are you healing them?" Kisame asked, as if he actually cared about the difference. He might depending on her answer. The little flower was intriguing to say the least. She did not heistate, did not even look up at him, as she poured her chakra into the boy.

"They've contracted a strange disease. Tsunade sama sent me here to strengthen diplomatic relations by healing them." Sakura replied, continuing to heal the boy despite his presence. He had to give her credit. The girl had guts to continue to work flawlessly with his presence in the room. Maybe she had accepted her fate.

"Then it'd be a shame to tell you that Mizu is poisoning it's own." Kisame replied crossing his arms. He had surprised himself by relinquishing the information. For free no less. But her concern for the boy was...genuine. He had watched as she had gone from hut to hut, healing the sick children and families. And she was a damn good medic. The best he'd ever seen.

Sakura's eyes widened, but narrowed with distrust. "Thats a big accusation."

"It's not an accusation, if it's the truth, Kunoichi. Mizu is a country full of liars. They consume their own, bones and all, and have for _years_. Its nothing new. Mizu hasn't changed." Kisame retorted. "Countries murdering their own children in cold blood for money. Every Ninja country does it. And you wonder why people become missing never can trust anyone." Kisame rambled, crossing his arms.

"I wonder why you became a missing nin." She shot back, but realized the weight of her words, and stammered searching for something, anything else to say, as her cheeks turned red.

"Keep wondering." Kisame grinned. Oh he liked when she talked herself into a corner. Admitting that she wanted to know anything about him seemed to take effect.

"And what would make you say that it's Mizu and not some other country?" Sakura asked.

Curious, beautiful, little leaf nin.

Naive. Thinking she could save it. He would let her this time.

"Check the water, Princess. Check the water and it's source, and you'll find your answer." The Shark man replied, as he made his way to the entrace of the tent. Sakura paused, heistitating on her words, but she needed to know. Had to know.

"Why would you help me?" Sakura asked green eyes wide.

"Because you're helping them." Kisame replied gesturing with his thumb towards the boy. Sakura's eyes widened. For a man that was a missing nin, particularly one with a reputation as ruthless as Kisame, to care, was shocking. But about children no less, from a country he'd abandoned. Perhaps...perhaps Sakura had misjudged him.

"Sakura." She replied surprisingly, turning to face him as she stabilized the boy.

Kisame turned in shock.

"If you're going to keep trying to kill me, you might as well know my name." She replied with a hint of a smile.

"Sakura...I wont forget it." Kisame promised.

His insides were doing little flip flops as his heart beat quite loudly in his ears. He was surprised she couldn't hear it, given her medical prowess. He exhaled the breathe he'd been holding, and had to wonder. What was wrong with him?

…...

It wasn't like Kisame to keep tabs on anyone, much less this girl. But the Kunoichi was surprisingly resourceful. When she'd managed to kill Sasori, she was considered a threat to Akatsuki and thus tabs were necessary, even warranted. But she didn't look so threatening sitting contentedly and pleasantly naked in a hotspring.

"Looks cozy" Kisame greeted, and she shrieked bloody murder.

"K-Kisame?" She exclaimed, using her hands to cover herself up. He had already seen what he wanted to. It only stirred his blood more.

"The only." He grinned, coming out of the forest.

"W-what are you doing here? Y-you have to leave! My teammates will notice you" She stammered, cheeks turning redder by the minute. No thought to herself. Just him. He was reminded of her freckles, and of the time he nearly killed her. He had to say, he was glad she wasn't dead yet considering the view. He could see the scar Samehada left on her shoulder from their first encounter. He wondered if she had freckles in more interesting places.

"Those fools you call teammates are geinin. Dont think I can't sense their chakra, as I can sense yours. Just when did they give you a team?" He asked as he sat at the edge of the hotspring.

Sakura's eyes widened. Had he really come to chit chat?

"They're not my team, but I was tasked to train them in medical ninjutsu in the field." She paused, tense for a moment. "It's their first travel mission."

Kisame merely sat, removing his sandals.

"Y-You're not here to kill me?" Sakura asked heisitantly, wincing.

"I dont kill in front of children" Kisame replied with disdain."I thought you would have taken that hint earlier." He said, as he set his sword down within reach if he needed. Make no mistake, he could kill her. He stuck his feet into the hotspring much to Sakura's chagrin. She supposed she couldn't complain when he was sparing her life. Had spared her life. Their meetings were...something else.

"I never thanked you for that." She couldn't meet his eyes, but her expression visibly softened. "I was able to save the entire village. They caught the culprit."

"He was executed." Kisame replied with a shrug. How he could be so calloused about some violence, and not others shocked her.

Sakura avoided that expression. "It wasn't my call to make."

"And you would have made a different call?" Kisame asked, wondering just what Sakura was getting at? Was she really that naive? Of course she was. She was a leaf ninja after all. But it was a quality that seemed to define her, really. Not that he was an expert.

"No, I'm just grateful I didn't have to." Sakura replied with a shudder.

"Afraid of those who like the taste of blood?" Kisame's grin was particularly violent.

"Afraid of those who would willing kill others for sport, or money, particularly children." Sakura retorted. "Even you seem to have a code, atleast about children. Why is that?" Sakura shot back.

Kisame's eyes narrowed. "Not for you to know yet, Sa-ku-ra." Shit. He hadn't meant to say it like _that_. Having walked into his own corner, he rose.

Green eyes widened. Her stomach had dropped when he had said her name. Her heart was doing little flip flops, beating loudly in her ears. He was dangerous. So why was she... thrilled? He had said her name. As if they were friends.

"Yet?" She replied, the hint of a smile on her face.

Did- Did she want him to come back? That thought made his already tumultuous thoughts flare, and _burn_.

"Try to enjoy your evening Sa-ku-ra. You might not have many of them left." Kisame said gruffly and disappeared.

Sakura shook her head, the smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.

…...

Kisame and Itachi rounded the rocks of stone, and he felt keenly _her_ presence like a slap in the face. Her chakra was dangerously low, and the girl was outnumbered. What the fuck was she doing out here? So far from home? His partner seemed to have stopped altogether,to consider the shark man's heisitation. Itachi knew him far too well for his own good. Did the Uchiha suspect?

"I have some business I need to take care of." Kisame replied. "I will meet up with you."

Itachi's sharingan eyes regarded the sharkman with a hint of distaste. But he did not stop him. Itachi owed him as much, and more. So he nodded, and disappeared.

…...

Sakura was badly outnumbered, having lured them away from where Shikamaru's team was carrying Ino's unconcious form to safety, but this did not mean she would make it out alive. She'd spent her chakra on Ino breaking every medic rule ever. In her head she had known this might be the end. She'd laid her traps carefully, trying to use the most of her resources to the best of her ability. She certainly wasn't going to lay down her head, and bend her neck for the bastards.

She would go down fighting. Like a kunoichi should. She felt one of them die, and wondered if he'd sprung her trap. It wouldn't be enough to save her. The other 10 were making their way towards her, and she was running out of chakra.

She reached for the last of her kunai, preparing herself to make the last stand.

She heard a terrible shriek of pain, and the sound of innards being rendered. It was echoed by more screams of agony. Sakura wondered if it was a trap, and tried to dispel the genjutsu. Nope. Not a genjutsu trap anyways. She crept her way up the valley, watching and waiting for the ambush she knew was lying in waiting for her, careful of any signs that might hint at trouble. Nothing. Cautiously she crept her way to the top, and was shocked by what greeted her.

"Your life, _Sa-Ku-Ra_ \- is _mine_." Kisame growled. His sword was covered in the blood of the stone ninja that lay scattered in dissaray across the valley. He had killed them. All 10 of them.

Sakura dropped to her knees in weary relief. Kisame had saved her. But was probably here to kill her now.

"Kisame..." She greeted weakly. He walked towards her, his sword red and dripping.

"Stupid of you. You should have let them take her." Kisame lectured as he made his way forward sword slung over his broad shoulders.

"I couldn't." She replied weakly, her head hanging down in defeat.

"Why?" Kisame asked, though he shouldn't have cared for the question in the first place. He shouldn't have been here. He should have just let her die.

"She's my best friend." Sakura replied.

"You could have died." Kisame pointed out.

"Aah" Sakura acknowledged. Atleast she wasn't making excuses. He hated lies so much more than weakness.

"Your life is _mine_ , Kunoichi." Kisame replied, his sword at her throat.

Sakura looked up into his eyes, green eyes serene and serious. "You can have it... Thank you."

"For what?" Kisame exlaimed, irritated by this woman, who at the end of all things would bother to thank him.

"Allowing me to save my best friend. I couldn't have lived with myself other...wise..." She replied, and her eyes rolled back into her head. She passed out.

Kisame's eyes widened as he cursed in frustration. How the hell was he supposed to kill her now? Killing an unconscious woman did nothing to expand his fighting skills. It wasn't even a worthy death. Goddamn it. With an indignant huff, he flopped her unconcious body over his shoulder, grumbling about batshit crazy leaf kunoichi and the bullshit they put him through.

…...

Sakura awoke, bandaged and in an inn. She had been tucked into the bed, blankets right at her neck the way she regularly slept. Her eyes took note of the letter by the nightstand.

 _Sakura,_

 _Try not to be so stupid with your life next time. Remember it's mine for the taking._

 _-K-_

Sakura grinned at the letter. He could have killed her. But he chose not to. She rose to grab her things.

…...

"Did you hear? Tsunade Oba-chan has given us permission to hunt down the Akatsuki." Naruto's excited voice rang out.

Sakura choked mid onigiri. She beat her hands on her chest to finish the last piece, as she fought for air. A deep knot seated at the bottom of her stomach, her own throat feeling tight and tense.

"W-when did Tsunade order this?" She asked, the shock setting in. Blue. All she could think of was blue.

"It's part of the ninja alliance she's trying to make with other countries. She wants us united by a common goal. Ridding the world of Akatsuki is pretty motivating" Naruto replied.

Sakura nodded, but her brows were furrowed.

"Sakura chan?" Naruto asked her. "This is a good thing. One step closer to-"

"Sasuke." She replied mindlessly.

Naruto was thunderstricken. "You mean Sasuke Kun?" He asked wondering if Sakura was ill. She did look rather pale.

"O-of course." Sakura replied, huffily, grabbing her paperwork for the hospital. But Sasuke had been gone for years. That dream had all but withered and died within her. If he wanted to come back he would have. Incidentally he didn't, and every step seemed to push him further and further away from her. She was tired of hoping for something that would never come to fruition. She had decided to put that dream to pasture long ago. But then why this...feeling...about Kisame?

She shouldn't care about the Shark man. He had earned his own sentence. But she couldn't shake the feeling of the pit at the base of her stomach. Why? And How would this decision end for him?

…...

She felt the knock at the door. In the middle of the night. Startled, she rose to her feet, wrapping her robe around her as she turned on the light to her bedroom. She pursed her lips. The knock grew more urgent as Sakura's stomach dropped. She walked down the hall knowing whoever it was, it couldn't be good. Opening the door, he practically stumbled into her arms.

"K-kisame?" She exclaimed.

"Hello Princess" He greeted, that same feral grin plastered to his face but it fell into a grimace of pain. She grabbed him, and deposited him by a hallway dresser he could lean on and grabbed his sword. Green eyes darted left and right for anbu guards. No one. She closed and locked the door, slamming it in her haste. Her heart raced. _Speak of the devil, and he shall appear._

Breathe in. Exhale.

She had just admitted an S class criminal into her house. She stared at her feet, and realized her stomach was covered in a sticky red. Green eyes widened in alarm.

"Kunoichi, you need to drain my chakra. Pick up the sword." He told her. "They'll find me otherwise." She could see now that he held his abdomen, probably trying to staunch the flow of blood coming from it. Oh gods.

"And what makes you think I'm going to help you?" She asked, but the words were weak and they both knew it.

"Because You owe me." Kisame replied, eyes narrowed.

"We both know that's not a good answer." Sakura replied hands on her hips, having nothing of his answer. She chewed on her lip, torn.

Kisame sighed and closed his eyes, the words painful to admit, particularly to her. "Because I have no one else." He exhaled the breathe, and stumbled, unable to support himself even with the dresser..

Sakura was there. Quickly she drained his chakra with the sword, casting it aside, as she took position next to him, suporting him, as she walked him towards the bedroom, biting her lip. If she healed him, she was aiding and abetting a wanted criminal. But her oath as a medic stood on her. And truth be told, she _couldn't_ let him die.

"If I heal you, you have to promise something." Sakura replied, those pink brows furrowed. Worried? For him? It almost touched him how concerned she was. Like she cared or something.

"I'm at your disposal, princess. Literally." Kisame murmured with a bloody cough and a bloody toothy grin.

"Promise me you wont go after Naruto." Sakura replied. Had her green eyes ever held that tint to them? Kisame couldn't remember.

"The Kyuubi vessel?" Kisame asked, feeling very drowsy.

"Yes." Sakura replied firmly.

"Done." Kisame said as if he hadn't just promised the impossible. It didn't matter if he died here. None of it did.

"Alright. Take off your cloak" Sakura insisted.

"Yare, yare, Princess. Normally I get dinner, first." Kisame tried to sound nonchalant, but groaned as she peeled the cloth from him. Sakura snorted at his respose.

He stood in fishnet shirt and ninja pants. Sakura wasted no time. She sliced the shirt off of him in a single swipe, and he yelped in surprise.

"You're getting way too into this, Princess-" He protested but it was cut off by a coughing fit. Sakura ignored his words, her hands resting on the cuts on his abdominal muscles, medic training taking over.

Internal damage to organs, bleeding out by the minute, Sakura put her healing chakra to work, she stopped the bleeding first placing her chakra sealing upon him like a bandaid. Once that was done, she grabbed her med bag and put the tea kettle on. She'd need the hot water to clean off all the dried blood on him. She wondered if it was even all his? With a start she realized he'd passed out on her bed of all places. Poor Kisame. He probably couldn't stand on his feet anymore. Sakura got to work.

Now that she'd stabilized him, she realized several things about him. One that Kisame was fiercely cut. Not an ounce of fat was wasted on his form. Tall and muscled, he was ripped, broad, and cut. His pectoral and abdominal muscles were on full and proud display. She grabbed the wash cloth, and filled the bowl with hot water. She could see the taught lines beneath his abdominal muscles, near his hips, guiding her lower. Sakura shook herself out the reverie, as she dipped the washcloth in the basin and washed the blood off of his chest working her way down his abs and trying not to gape.

Two: his hair, which normally defied all laws of physics was now down, and around his face. It looked...nice. Did he use some kind of gel to keep it that way? Was his hair like a shark's fin? She wondered as she reached a trembling hand for it. Gently, she ran her fingers through his hair. It was soft, not at all as harsh as it looked.

Kisame groaned, twitching, even in his sleep as he responded to her touch by drawing closer. She paused her administrations of his hair, surprised by the reaction.

Third, his skin was phenominal. She had expected a slimy mucus coating, or closer to shark skin, tough jagged denticles that would slash her. Instead, it was firm, not quite the same consistency as hers, almost rubbery muscle, but warm, and though it wasn't slimy, she could feel the moisture to it, making it smooth. He had no hair on his upper body which probably allowed him swifter swimming. Was the smoothness of his skin due to his musculature? Or to his biology? Sakura didn't know, but she had never seen anyone in as good of shape as the man passed out before her. Healing chakra ignited in her fingertips, casting a lovely green shade on his blue skin, as she searched for more damage, healing cracked ribs, torn ligaments, and severed tendons.

…...

 _Kisame breathed deeply the intoxicatingly fragrant scent of the very naked woman in his bed, as his hands wrapped around the soft form. Warm, soft, and cuddly. Exactly how he liked his women. He couldn't make out her face, but her laughter was warm, bubbly, as he pulled her closer. His lips grazed her upper back, kissing and biting his way up her spine to her shoulders. She moaned, and suddenly the room spun as they were in more compromising positions. Teeth sunk into her neck, as emerald green eyes and bright pink hair came into view and tasted...flufly?!_

Kisame awoke with a start from the dream, spluttering feathers out of his mouth as he practically fell out of the bed, the pillow he had chomped on exploding in a burst of feathers, alarms going off in his head. Where the fuck was he?

Sakura barged into his room in cute tank top and pajamas shorts, startled. "Kisame!"

The shark man realized where he was, and what had happened.

"You _healed_ me?" He asked incredulously.

Sakura's eyes widened, as she looked around, realizing their situation. "Aah-" She replied, tucking a pink strand behind her ear, all nerves.

Kisame began to laugh.

He left her late in the evening. Sakura had called off her shift at the hospital to make sure that he had recovered and poured her chakra into making sure that he left in full health. Had any woman ever done such a thing for him? Kisame couldn't recall, as he disappeared into the trees. He had pocketed a few feathers breathing deep her scent.

…...

Something had changed between them with their last encounter. She knew Kisame watched her, could now sense his ki, though maybe he wanted her to know he was there just out of reach. She could feel his presence, but he did not come out from his shadowy position. He was always just at the cusp of her awareness, and he always disappeared if she stared at the spot she sensed him too long. At first she wondered if he was going to make good on his promise to kill her. And though that was probably always an option, she wondered if he was conflicted now, as she was.

His presence pulled a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. She had to focus though. She needed to find a particular plant for an antidote for Kakashi sensei, who had been stabbed by Sasuke's Kusanagi. Every second counted. She could not afford to be distracted. Anbu had been sent to follow close behind her with random Akatsuki attacks happening more frequently as of late. If only they knew...

Her eyes scowered the flora and fauna as she searched for the flowering buds and mushrooms she needed to make the antidote. It should be around this forest.

She knelt down to grab the flowers, picking several for her samples. She both felt and heard his presence as he came out of the woods, onto the open plain of the field between the two forests.

"Kisame?" Sakura asked, surprised, those green eyes lighting up in delight. It might have been the way the sunset hit her eyes. Beautiful...

"Princess." He greeted, with a salute and a grin.

"What are you doing here?!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Passing through." Kisame replied. "Why? Did you miss me?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Like a headache."

Kisame chuckled. Green eyes widened.

"You have to leave. Anbu is right behind me." She demanded, making her way towards him, tone full or urgency.

"Worried about me?" Kisame grinned, as he retreated into the woods. Sakura followed after him annoyed.

"I'm serious, Kisame. They can't find you." Sakura's anger rang out, and she clasped her hands over her mouth, realizing just how loud she was being.

"And why is that?" Kisame taunted her, as they ventured further into the woods. The forest was a canopy, shielding them from the sun as the trees grew denser, closer together.

"B-because-" She stammered refusing to meet his eyes.

"You don't want them to get hurt." Kisame gave a predatory grin, all teeth as he flexed his muscles.

"I don't want you-" Her anger stopped, as she realized her words, and turned bright red. The freckles that he so enjoyed became visible across her nose.

"Sakura." Kisame told her, wrapping his arms around her, as he brought her closer and his hand underneath her chin gently having her look up at him. She choked, chirping in surprise at his bold move. "I'm doing this now because it might be my last chance." Black eyes were completely unrepentant as he bent down closer to her, lips very close to her own.

"D-doing what?" She squeaked.

"Kissing you." He breathed, lips tantalizingly close to her own. She paused, unable to breathe, or speak as he stood there, mere inches from her lips. He hovered, teasingly. He wanted her to want it. He wanted her to want him. More than anything in this moment.

"K-Kisame?" Sakura asked licking her lips nervously.

"Kiss me." He asked. As if it wasn't the most difficult thing in the world.

Sakura spluttered her face tomato red.

Anbu landed in the area, and Kisame growled, grabbed her from behind, pulling her behind the tree, as Mist rolled into the area. It was getting darker, and fog in the forest wasn't surprising at this time of day, but she knew he was doing it, to shield them.

"Sakura san?" The anbu members rang out.

Sakura looked down at her feet. The mushroom she had been searching high and low for, lay at their feet. "I'm here! I think I found it. Dont come any closer so that no specimens are lost!" Her voice rang out.

"Aah" The anbu retreated.

She bent down, and Kisame was blessed with the lovely view of her backside. The kunoichi finished stuffing several of the mushrooms in her pack. She rose and turned to Kisame, and saw conflicting emotion flicker across those black eyes. Standing up on her tippy toes she planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you." She whispered, those green eyes glowing. She sprinted back to the anbu, shouting for their attention, a skip in her step. Kisame watched her go, and then disappeared into the forest.

…...

"They almost had him." Naruto reported.

Sakura felt the pit of her stomach drop. She shouldn't feel this way. She shouldn't. She shouldn't, but she did, as if the world were coming down right from under her feet.

"He escaped into Sand apparently. He wont last long because he needs water to survive. Once Gaara gives them approval to come into sand, I think this is it." Naruto replied with a grin. "Its only a matter of time before every Akatsuki is hunted down."

Sakura felt the lump in her throat tighten constrictively. "Aah- I-I have to go"

…...

She was sprinting to the border, sweat pouring down her as she flash stepped running faster than she ever had in her life, expending the chakra for haste. The scroll she had just finished contained just the jutsu she needed. She could feel the sand beneath her toes as she stepped across the border. She made it up and over the crossing, avoding the guards, and into the sand dunes as she searched for his chakra.

She found the sharkman burried in the sand dune, and covered with blood. His arm was broken and he was covered in bruises. He'd been sliced from collarbone to navel, and has miscellanious cuts scattered across him, one down to the bone.

Planting the jutsu down, an oasis sprung up from the parchment, and suddenly the two were underwater, the skies darkening with the rare rain and thundestorm to hide them. Sakura held her breath. The water seemed to revive the sharkman, and he pulled her down with him, to the bottom of the makeshift oasis. Summoning his jutsu, the bubble came up and around them, and Sakura could breathe again, though was soaking wet. She couldn't even get a word in before his lips were fierce on hers, pulling her taught against his solid frame with abandon. Healing chakra rose from her as she kissed him, taking every wound and fixing it.

"Why are you here?" He asked, slightly dizzy from the healing, and from kissing her.

"I don't know." Sakura looked away.

"Yes you do." Kisame replied, kissing her fiercly with abandon.


End file.
